What Are Common Causes of Shoulder and Arm Pain?

Sore of shoulder blades are mostly caused by muscle spasm and deformation for a long time, and may also be caused by chronic muscle inflammation after maintaining a posture for a long time. This disease mostly occurs in middle-aged and older people over the age of 40. Its soft tissue degenerative lesions and weakened tolerance to various external forces are the basic factors.

Basic Information

Visiting department: orthopedics
Multiple groups: 40 years and over
Common locations: shoulder blade

Common causes: Long-term muscle spasm or deformation, or caused by chronic muscle inflammation
Common symptoms: Shoulder pain, restricted mobility, cold, tenderness, cramps, atrophy, etc.

Causes of Scapular Pain

It is mostly caused by muscle spasm and deformation for a long time, and may also be caused by chronic muscle inflammation.

Clinical manifestations of scapular soreness

Shoulder pain

At the beginning, the shoulder showed paroxysmal pain, most of which were chronic attacks. Later, the pain gradually intensified or dull, or knife-like pain was persistent. After climate change or fatigue, the pain is often aggravated. The pain can spread to the neck and upper limbs (especially the elbows). When the shoulder is accidentally bumped or pulled, it can often cause tear-like pain. It is a major feature of this disease. Most patients often wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall asleep, especially not lying on the affected side. This situation is more obvious due to blood deficiency; if the pain is caused by cold, then Particularly sensitive to climate change.

2. Restricted activities

The movement of the shoulder joint can be restricted in all directions, and abduction, lifting, and internal and external rotation are more obvious. With the progress of the disease, due to the long-term disuse, the joint capsule and the soft tissue around the shoulder can be caused to gradually decrease in muscle strength. In addition, the colic-humeral ligament is fixed in a shortened internal rotation position and other factors, which make the shoulder joint active and passive in all directions. All are restricted, especially combing, dressing, washing the face, akimbo and other movements are difficult to complete. In severe cases, the elbow joint function can also be affected. When the elbow is flexed, the hand cannot touch the shoulder on the same side, especially when the arm is extended backward. Elbow flexion.

3. Afraid of cold

Suffering from cold shoulders, many patients cover their shoulders with cotton pads all year round. Even on summer days, the shoulders dare not blow hair.

4. Tenderness

In most patients, obvious tenderness points can be touched around the shoulder joint, and the tenderness points are mostly in the long sulcus groove of the biceps brachii. The acromion bursa, coracoid process, supraspinatus attachment point and so on.

5. Spasticity and atrophy

The deltoid muscle, superior muscle, and other peripheral muscles of the shoulder can appear spasm in the early stage, disused muscle atrophy can occur in the later stage, acromion protrusion, inconvenience of lifting, and adverse back bending and other typical symptoms. At this time, the pain symptoms are reduced. The deltoid muscles have mild atrophy and the trapezius muscles have spasms. Significant tenderness can be seen in the upper post tendons, biceps brachii, short head tendons and deltoid muscles. Shoulder joint abduction, external rotation, and extension are most limited.

Scapular Pain Examination

Routine radiographs are mostly normal. Osteoporosis can be seen in some patients in the later period, but there is no bone destruction. Calcified shadows can be seen under the acromion. Laboratory tests are normal. On older patients or with longer disease course, plain radiographs of osteoporosis of the shoulder, or calcification signs of supraganglia tendon and acromion bursa can be seen.

Diagnosis of Scapular Pain

According to the history of long-term muscle spasm, sore arms, pain in the scapula, and other symptoms, combined with X-ray examination results, can assist diagnosis.

Differential diagnosis of scapular pain

Shoulder and back pain

There are many patients with back pain, and the common cause is local bone or soft tissue disease of the shoulder and back. There is also scapular pain caused by organ diseases reflecting to the back of the shoulder or tumors metastasizing to the back of the shoulder. Therefore, the clinical treatment of back pain can not blindly use massage, scraping, cupping and other treatment methods, so that patients lose the best opportunity for treatment.

2. Persistent severe shoulder pain

Often caused by dislocation of the shoulder joint. Has a clear history of trauma.

3. Pain in the shoulder

Shoulder pain or hyperalgesia due to visceral diseases is called involved pain. Symptoms appear relatively slowly, dull pain, or discomfort, which does not exactly follow the direction of the nerve, the area is blurred, and the pain is blurred.

4. Diffuse and radiating pain around the shoulder area

Diffuse blunt pain and radiating pain in the scapular area are the clinical manifestations of the scapular nerve entrapment sign. The scapular nerve entrapment is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain.

5. Sore shoulders and discomfort

Shoulder pain and soreness are also known as leaky shoulder wind, periarthritis, and fifty shoulders. Those with prominent shoulder dysfunction are also known as frozen shoulders.

Scapular Pain Treatment

Acupuncture, massage and cupping can be applied. Choosing a timely, regular and effective treatment is the key. Usually exercise more neck and shoulder areas.